Notre Dame finished 2017 with an overall record of 9-3, but struggled down the stretch with losses to Miami and Stanford in its final three games.

A key to victory for the Fighting Irish will be to continue relying on the strong rushing attack that carried the team throughout the season. Notre Dame’s rushing attack finished No. 7 in the nation with 279.1 yards per game, led by Josh Adams, who recorded 1,386 yards and nine touchdowns on 191 carries.

Notre Dame finished ranked No. 22 in Points For.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Fighting Irish held opponents to just 21.8 points per game, good enough to finish the year ranked No. 32.

LSU Tigers

While Notre Dame had a solid defensive unit in 2017, the Tigers were even better. LSU held opponents to only 18.8 points per game, finishing as the No. 16 defense in the nation for Points Against.

Things were not as impressive on the offensive side of the ball, but the Tigers rushing attack — led by Derrius Guice and his 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns — is a nightmare for any opponent. LSU averaged 210.8 rushing yards per game, good enough for 30th in the nation.

Josh became editor at COED in 2016 and is also the Editor-in-Chief of Campus Sports. He studied journalism at Seton Hill University and is a member of the FWAA and USBWA. His work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, ESPN.com, FOXSports.com, CBSSSports.com, along with others. You can contact Josh at: josh.sanchez@teamcoed.com.